Apparatus for treating air.



NO. 810,451. PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

F. WHITE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING AIR. APPLIGATION FILED AUG.8.1904. RENEWED1I0v.11, 1905.

'ATT'V citizen of .the' United States, residin UNITED STATES RATION OFMAINE.

Speoification of Letters Patent,

PATENT" OFFICE.

hIASSACHUSET-TS, ASSIGNOR TO APPARATUS FOFtTREATING AIR.

, racemes Jan. 23', 1906.

Application filed August 8, 1904. Renewed Novemberll, 1905. Serial No.286,79l..

To all whom it may concern.

' Be it known that I, FREDERICK WHITE, a

South Boston, in the county of Sufiolkand State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ap aratus for TreatingAir, of which the following is a specification,reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an improvement on Frede'rick Whites prior apparatusfor drying or in dwellings, hospitals,

moistening and purl 'ng or medicating air stores, ofiices, factories,restaurants, &c. The prior apparatus is the subject-matter of patents orpatent ap- .plications in many countries.

' As generally installed the prior and pres- I cut apparatus take airfrom near the ceiling and force the air. over a large number ofgravitating films of water or other liquid ofany desired kind andtemperature and then force the air back into the room, the air beingcontinuously moved with maximum obtainable rapidity in a plurality ofcurrents overa plurality of films of liquid. The velocity, with' whichthe man-currents pass through the'apparatus is a matter of utmostimportanceformaintenance of constant and efficient treatment ormodification of the air, and it is necessary to maintain the liquid infilm-like form and to distribute the liquid slowly in order to preventthe liquid from choking the interspaces between cylinders on the Wallsof which the liquid-films are formed, because if such interspaces werechoked with liquid the free and continuous passage of the air throughthe interspac'es would be obstructed. It is the apparatusshould operatewithout spattering liquid outwardly and with a mini mum ofQnoise. If theliquid films are colder than the'air passed over them, then moisture inthe air deposits on the colder films, and the air is thus dried bydeposition of its moisture. If the liquid films are warmer than the air,then the air takes up moisture The apparatus in all cases purifies theair,

because air in passing through the apparatus of a new liquid-distributerdetache is an enlar tor-wheel and air-fan.

liquid from swirling important that 'necting inner ends ofplates' 2.

ives u .man s -moke, 5nd dusit.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2is a top (plan view Fig. 3 ed'cross-sectional view at line 3 3 of Fig. 20' one tributer. Fig, 4 is a top'plan view of a new device incorporatedin the apparatus for diminishing noise from its operation by check- Thisis desirable, but not essential,

is a top plan view of an annulus of plates mounted in the air-exit spacevent outward sprinkling of water and mit free outward escape'of air.Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section, of a new device whereby grit in theliquid is kept out of grinding contact with the shaft, and thedistributer is more slowly rotated than the mo- Fig. 7 shows twoadjacent plates, partly in cross-section, at line .7 7 of Fig. 4. l Inthe drawings, motor-wheel casing 1v has interior radial plates 2, whichprevent the 'with'inthe-casing, and

baffle- OF KITTERY, MAINE, A CORPO-I of theradial arms of the dis-" topreto per impurities, such as flies, C

.ing the direct fall of liquid on the air-fan. Fig. 5.

thereby impeding lts own exit, the casing having vents 3, whereby atmoheric pressure facilitatesoutfiow. Verti'calhhaft 4 carries motor-wheel5, driven b a liquid jet from nozzle 6, having a regu ating-screW 7controlling the amount of liquid discharged against and also the s eedof the wheel; From casing 1 liquid fall; into distributor 8, fast on thelower end of sleeve 9, which incloses shaft 4 and is threaded into aballbearing device that comprises stationary ring 10, having an annularexterior circumferential shoulder a resting on collar 11, con- 7 Theupper side of ring 10 supports balls b,-on which rests rin'g12, threadedon annular nut 13, in the lower end. of which sleeve 9 is threaded.Sleeve 9, carrying'distributer 8, is free to rotate on balls 1).Auxiliary balls between ring 10 and flange d of nut l, a so support andserve to steady sleeve 9'1n its rotation; Ring 12 carries fourthread-socketed radial arms 14, on the outer ends of which inclinedvanes 15 are fast and'against which liquid falling from the wheelstrikes to rotate the distributer, the liquid falling past vanes 15,through than that ol' the wheel and tan.

rotatable distributer on a stationary part of" the apparatus inst ad oton a collar fixed on shaft 4, as heretol'ore, is to prote t shalt tl'rom being cut into and weakened by grinding action of grit in theliquid, and herein is an important improvement on prior apparatus ofthis type.

Distributor-arms 17 are now trouglnshaped in cross-section, prel'erablytapering outwardlylromtheir junction with central cup 16. The sides olthe troughed arms now have alternating solid parts is and exitnotehes ll), the solid parts to ol' each side being eppositeanotch19in theopposite wall. The under side of each distributing-arm is formed with adownwardly-extending projection 20 below each notch it) and with alownwardlyextending notch 21 below each solid part l8, there being acentral lengthwise groove 22 along the under side of eachdistrilnitingarm, which preferably has an end .liseharge port 23. l;l 1epurpose ol this construction oi" the listril'urting-arms is to secure adistribution ol" liquid from the distributer in a great number ofseparate streams, which are formed by passe "e of liquid through notchesit) in the sides ol the tr'oughed arms. The separate streams flowing outthrough notches 12) would run together and form continuous sheets belowthe lower outer corners of the arms it'it were not for the projections20 and notches 21, which maintain the separate streams intact when theyfall on, over, and between the subjacent concentric sheetmetal cylinders26, which are apt to become choked with lluid l'al'ling in sheet l'ormtrout the distributer. Groove 22 secures two rows of separate streamsfrom each arm. This construction secures a maximum number 01 theseseparate streams from each side of each (.listributer arm.

Casing l is supported on open frame 24-, resting on open-endedcylindrical shell 25, within which said cylinders are mounted andseparated by small blocks 27 at intervals 'apart to keep the cylindersstationary. The

cylinders rest on an open cross-frame. 28, last to shell 25, shalt tpassing downwardly through. the inner cylinder and carrying immediatelybelow l'rame 28 a sound-deadening arrangement ol inclinedraiHal-separated battle-plates 2), the outer ends ot which have cars 30,through which fasteners 31 pass into slllOll 25. The upper edge of eachbattle p ate has a depending lip 32 eXt6IKllD f1'0Hl end to end ol theplate to prevent liquid on its upper edge from running down its underside and from directly striking on the subjacent air-v lan. The loweredge of each baffle-plate has an upturned lip 33, which extends from endto end of the plate and prevents unimpeded llow of liquid down the upperside of the plate. Therefore when the liquid falls from the cylinders itdoes not strike directly. a ainst the vanes ot the air-fan, and noiseFrom such cause is diminished. The inner ends of plates 29 are securedto a central ring 34, which is fast to central ring. 34* of frame 28,

shaft 4 passing freely through both rings.-

An air-fan having blades 35 is fast to the bottom of shaft 4, whichrests on a ball-bearing 36. The air-fan pulls air through theinterspaees of the cylinders over gravitating lluid lilms thereon.Ball-bearing 36 is indirectly supported on conical frame 37 in pan 38.sheetanetal bowl-like deflector 39, the outer margin of which is-securedt0 the edge of the pan at 40, has a bottom portion 41, which lines thebottom of the pan, and this deflector, together with the pan side andbottom, terms a dead-air space 42 around the lower corn er ol the pan.This dead-air space tends to prevent the deposition of moisture fromexterior atmosphere on the outside of the pan, and consequently toprevent dripping from the machine.

An 0utwardly-extending annular deflector L3 is last to the bottom ofshell 25, and its. upper side supports the ornamental open endedcylindrical casing 44, through which l'asteners 45 passand engage shell25 to hold the casing in place. Casing 44 may be omit ted; but it isdesirable and extends Well above the cylinders and shell to preventliqaid from being spattered out at the upper end of the apparatus. Thelower edges of shell 25 and delleetor 43 rest on ledges a: in the bottomof an annular trough 46 in 0 en cross-frame L7 being clamped therein byasteners 1 From the bottomof the trough vertical discharge-tubes 18depend, diseharging into the pan liquid which runs down the shell intothe trough. A liquidsupply pi )e 49 extends from any suitable sourceunder head to jet-nozzle 6. 50 is the liquid-discharge pipe trom thepan.

Between deflectors 39 and 43 an annulus of inclined ballle-plates51 ismounted, the in into openings through which the supply and 29 overhangsits subjacent plate and An upwardly and outwardly extending wardly with"iolenee and would tend to muse outward spattering were it not for the The'crosswise arrangement tends to prevent liquid from being; spattercdout between the b aille-plates. The air-fan expels air freely outbetween the ballle-plates, the air being deflected by cover 54 anddeflectors 39 and 43 through space 55. By carrying the lower ends oftubes 48 below the lower edge of battle-plates 5], the air-blast doesnot drive the liquid (falling from the tubes) through the space 55, asmight otherwise happen.

The apparatus is adapted for overhead use, and 56 indicates a tubularstandard on wh ch the apparatus may be supported near the for the upperbearing of the shaft.

What is claimed is 1. The combination of a niotor-wi|cel casing; amotor-wheel fast on its shaft; an airfan fast on said shaft; betweensaid wheel and fan, a series of concentric, openended cylinders spacedapart; anda rotatableliquid-distributer whiwb rotates slower than thefan, is opposed to t cyliinler ends, and supported by a station part ofthe mar-hind, the easing being vein-:d.

2. llhe combination of a,1notor-wheel casing; a motdr-wheel fast on itsshaft; an airan fast onsaid shaft; between said wheel and fan, a seriesof concentric, open-cnded cylind -'s spaced apart; a rotatableliquid-distributer whichrotates slower than the fan, is opposed to thecylinder ends, and supported by 21st: .ionary part of the machine; apair of annula r air-deflectors spaced apart; andan annulus of separatedbathe-plates in said s 'n ce.

S. The combination of a motor-wheel casing; a motor-wheel fast on itsshalt; an airfan fast on said shait; between said wheel and fan, aseries of concentric, open-ended. cylinders spaced apart; a rotatableliquid-distributer which rotates slower than the fan, is opposed to thecylinder ends and supported by a stationary part of the machine; a pairof annular air-deflectors spaced apart; an annulus of separatedbathe-plates in said space; and an annulus of separated baiIle-platesbetween the cylinders and air-fan.

t. The combination of a motor-wheel casing; motor-wheel fast on itsshaft; an airfan fast. on said shaft; between said wheel and fan, aseries of concentric, open-ended cylinders spaced apart; a rotatableliquid-distributer which rotates slower than the fan, is 0pposed to thecylinder ends and supported by a stationary part of the machine; a pairof annular air-deflectors spaced apart; an annulus of separatedbaIile-plates in said space; a shell inclosing said cylinders; atroughed annular frame into which the shell discharges; and a series ofdischarge-tubes de ending from the trough and extending be ow thebal'lle-plates which are inclined crosswise to the inclination of thevanes of the air-fan.

5. The combination with a motor-wheel casing motor-wheel; its shaft; anair-fan fast on the shaft; a series of concentric openendcd cylinders;annular air-deflectors spaced apart; a supply-pipe and an eseape pipe,all substantially.such as described, of means for preventing. the escapeof water thro'ughthe space between the air-deflectors; and means fordistributing water over said cylinders in a series of separated streams.

6. In apparatus substantially such as described, the combination of amotor-wheel casing; a regulable liquid-jet nozzle therefor;'

an air-fan fast on a shaft on which the motor-

